What do I need to setup a quarentine?

[xenon]

I currently have the following for my QT setup:

30G Long tank (36x12x16) with stand
Coralife 36" Lunar AquaLight 2x96w
Marineland airMaster2000 with 8" bubble wand
100w heater
two maxijet 1200's
Some random 1.5" PVC elbows (hiding places)

What else am I missing?

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

spounge filter

 

[N8ster]

Try this:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.php

 

[old salty]

I usually include some sort of media for bio-filtration. I keep a bag of it in my fuge should the need to QT arise. Other than that, looks like you have all of the angles covered.

 

[xenon]

I picked up a HOB filter (AquaClear 30) with extra sponges but how long does this filter need to run in my sump?

Is there a way to speed things up?

 

[crumbletop]

probably a couple of weeks. It needs to get a decent amount of bacteria growing on it. If you have a sick fish right now and need to QT that fish, then you'll likely have to monitor the cycle and get by with frequent large water changes. I use a 12 gallon QT tank which makes water changes easy if I have to do those. I don't have any large fish, though.

If you are treating a fish for ich and it was in your display, you'll need to remove all fish and treat, and let the tank sit fallow for ~6 weeks.

 

[xenon]

I have a powder blue tang that has ich.. my two true percs are not showing signs yet.

So can I just do 50% water changes every other day to keep ammonia down in a QT tank without the bacteria sponge?

I dont think this tang will last another 2weeks without treatment.

 

[crumbletop]

You need to treat right away, and also treat the clowns. Hypo will be the friendliest treatment for the PBT -- I don't think they take too well to copper. You may have to do the water changes daily -- just keep an eye on the ammonia and the pH.

Here are a couple of good links on ich:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/marineich.html
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

Good one on hyposalinity treatment:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/t...posalinity.html

 

[yakfishin]

50 % water changes would certainly be better than nothing. You really need to remove the tang as soon as possible not matter what. Also, do think about removing any other fish in the maintank and place them in quarantine as well, or you tank will probably always have ich present wether or not the clowns ever show signs of being infected or not. What could happen is that you successfully treat the tang, and then add him back to the main display at a later date only to find him reinfected by ich a few weeks later. If your tank is empty for 6 weeks as crumble stated, then you will have the peace of mind know that your fish are being returned to an ich free tank. I know it's a pain, but that's the only method of making sure your fish won't get ich again- which would be a bigger pain.

 

[xenon]

Yep, that's my plan.. remove all fish and place them into QT for 6weeks or more. I realize the countdown starts when the ich is no longer visible.

So you guys think I should do 50% water changes daily for 2weeks then add the HOB filter to QT tank that has been running in my sump for the 2weeks?

 

[yakfishin]

I would place the HOB to the quarantine tank right away, with perhaps some cured liverock rubble as discussed in the other thread. If you don't have any live rock, then go ahead and use a new sponge, but yes you will need to do frequent water changes if you don't have enough or any active bacteria in the QT filter. . How much and often you do water changes will depend upon your water tests for ammonia and nitrite, you don't want either to get to high. But place your sponge in the sump so that 10-14 days later you can take out the live rock rubble and replace the rock with the sponge. At that time perhaps also place a new sponge in the sump so you will have one ready to go if need be in the future. Just don't forget to occasionally rinse it out in some water that you drain from the tank when doing periodic water changes, or else it could become a source of nitrates if allowed to get too dirty. Sorry if any of this is muddeled, I'm still at work and trying to get caught up before the weekend. Use this site for questions though, as people a good bit more experienced than myself always seem available for help and advice.

 

[yakfishin]

I should have said place "another sponge" (if you place a new one in the HOB instead of live rock), so that 10-14 days later...........

 

[crumbletop]

oops, here is the hypo link -- the one I posted above doesn't work:

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html